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Jorja Smith’s 'Tiny Desk' concert puts her sleek voice first

13 June 2018

If you know enough about Jorja Smith, you will know what to expect from her Tiny Desk concert before you even see it. Dressed in a scotch orange casual two-piece, Smith beamed against the backdrop of her four-piece band as she sat through performances of "On My Mind," "Teenage Fantasy" and "Blue Lights."

This was all down to her voice and how effortlessly she appears to be able to summon it. It's evident on opener, "On My Mind" where she scales ever the note higher or on a heart ballad like "Teenage Fantasy" where it felt like she left the room and left her voice behind to stand in for her.

"We've just finished a long tour and this is our last stop so I'm very happy to be here. Thank you," she quietly said after introducing band. This performance, just like her featureless new album, is a display of artistic individuality for an artist who is known for her collaborations with Drake, Kali Uchis and Black Coffee.

You can watch her full 12-minute set via NPR below.

Rifumo Mdaka is a Johannesburg-based music writer who champions South African queer artists. When I'm bored, I watch iPhone keynotes and commercials. Read my website FDBQ Music and follow me on Twitter, @rifvmo